FACE YOURSELF may have only started in 2023, but since that time they’ve had three EPs racking up 6 million streams and over a million more views on YouTube. And that was when they were an unsigned band. After their signing to Sumerian Records, the band announced their new EP, Martyr. A tale of sorts that tells of struggles through mental health, personal vulnerabilities and confronting your demons and rising from the ashes to become the leader of your own life.
The six piece deathcore act have been a formidable force since their debut self-titled EP back in 2023, and now with five more tracks, have FACE YOURSELF stood their ground in the ever-evolving landscape of deathcore? Where stopping songs mid-breakdown and making weird noises brings you to what seems to be the forefront of the genre?
Well yes, and no. The triple guitars of Thomas Cardone, Corey Doremus & Dave Ricco add melodic layers on the EP where you’d normally expect the generic sweep picking to be found. In its place are glorious harmonies that you sometimes must listen very carefully to hear it take place. In contrast to that, the one-sided guitar strokes throughout the EP are predictable and bland which don’t really add anything to the songwriting. It just feels as an instance of filler before you get to the meat of the songs where you start to feel the groove and intensity the band portray that the slower parts of the songs where their song structure becomes more exciting.
Whilst the EP is spliced with samples and small interludes at the ending and beginning of some songs, the main draw is the vocals of Yasmine Liverneaux. Her vocal ability on the EP is outstanding. Her tectonic plate shuffling gutturals, her shrill shrieks and less harsh vocals simply put a mark on her head for most putrid vocalist in the deathcore scene. Following the blueprints forged by Dickie Allen & Will Ramos but adding her own spit and blood into the mix firmly cements her status as a feral witch who can tear your flesh from your bones with a single snarl.
Across fifteen minutes and five songs, FACE YOURSELF have something of a mixed bag. While their use of harmonies are exciting, and Liverneaux‘s vocals are astounding, the rest can leave a lot to be desired that they hopefully improve upon for a full length album.
Rating: 6/10
Martyr is out now via Sumerian Records.
Like FACE YOURSELF on Facebook.
The post EP REVIEW: Martyr – Face Yourself appeared first on Distorted Sound Magazine.
